Effects of ayahuasca in preclinical studies with animals: a systematic review
A. Walsh-Monteiro, S. Morato, F.a.r. Uribe, A. Gouveia Jr, J.s. Pedroso
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research September 2, 2025 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x2025e14687 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Animal models |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | N,N-Dimethyltryptamine Hallucinogens Serotonin receptor agonist Monoamine oxidase inhibitors Animal models |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca causes significant alterations in motor and cognitive behavior in animal models via the serotonergic system, resembling negative symptoms of schizophrenia and depression. |
Abstract
This systematic review investigates the effects of the ayahuasca beverage (Aya) in various animal models. Using the PRISMA protocol and adhering to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews, a comprehensive selection of 2,359 documents was identified from the Web of Science, Medline, and Scopus databases between 2012 and 2022. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 articles were included in the final analysis. The analysis revealed a diversity in the selection of animal models that included different developmental stages and various forms of Aya intoxication, including acute and chronic doses, and varying concentrations of the active principles. The studies revealed that Aya causes significant alterations in the motor and cognitive behavior of animals, especially associated with the serotonergic system, which seems to contribute to the negative symptoms also observed in schizophrenia and depression. Despite the evidence found, this review highlights the scarcity of more robust pre-clinical studies with methodological standardization to make more conclusive comparisons, especially given the need to identify potential toxic and neurochemical effects of Aya on organisms for a safer assessment of its therapeutic use.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Patients from included clinical trials | 2016 | Systematic review | |
| Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Humans (ritual ayahuasca use) | 2006 | Systematic review | |
| Default Mode Network Modulation by Psychedelics: A Systematic Review Participants from included studies | 2022 | Systematic review | |
| Ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, and psychosis: a systematic review of human studies | 2017 | Systematic review | |
| Psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Participants in studies of psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms (Major... | 2023 | Systematic review with meta-analysis | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cites 60
- Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 18, 2003
- The hallucinogenic world of tryptamines: an updated review. Archives of Toxicology August 1, 2015
- Increased frontal and paralimbic activation following ayahuasca, the pan-amazonian inebriant Psychopharmacology March 30, 2006
- The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization. Frontiers in Pharmacology March 2, 2016
- Long-term use of psychedelic drugs is associated with differences in brain structure and personality in humans European Neuropsychopharmacology January 16, 2015
and 55 more in the library